Category: How to

Skiing in the Alps, that’s why it’s best to go there by train

Enchanted landscapes that “slip” out of the window, no queues at the toll booths and expensive parking lots on site. If you never thought to train for your skiing holiday , you’d better think again. There are indeed so many good reasons to put the car aside and take advantage of the rail connections to the various ski resorts for the coming winter.

Among those who frequent the mountain there is a significant slice of the public that is attentive to the environment . In this sense, using the train to go skiing in the Alps is a ” low environmental impact ” solution for sportsmen who want to reach the slopes leaving the car at home. Do we want to talk about costs ? Most journeys can be booked well in advance at very favorable rates. The sooner you decide, the less you spend (if you have ticked off in the classic “battle” in the office between colleagues and are certain about the dates of your winter holidays, then hurry to buy the ticket!). And the advantages they cannot be counted if you are traveling with children under the age of 11 or in groups of at least 10 people.

The holiday is relaxation , or at least it should be, from the beginning. There can be no more of those stressful journeys to reach their destination, perhaps after hours of queuing between the highway and the highly trafficked highway. With the train you avoid unnecessary hysteria, maybe reading a good book or stuffing yourself with the worst junk comfortably seated without having to think about the road. Everything’s fine so far, but on arrival at the mountain station, how to get to our accommodation? Do not worry, many chalets or hotels offer free transfers from the train station to the resort , while if you have been on tour operators know that the holiday package with the train normally includes the transfer.

As for the reachable destinations there is really the embarrassment of the choice . In Trentino, for example, there is the station of Daolasa-Marilleva with the only train that takes skiers up to the departure station of the cable car for a “zero kilometers” skiing. In South Tyrol the trains reach Bressanone, San Candido, Brunico and Bolzano, in Piedmont there are the stations of Limone and Bardonecchia , in Veneto we arrive in Calalzo, in Friuli Venezia Giulia also Tarvisio and the slopes of Carnia and Friuli are easily accessible .

If there is then a ski resort where you can only arrive by train, it is Zermatt in Switzerland. St. Moritz and Diavolezza can be reached by train from the Rhaetian Alps , from which you can enjoy breathtaking views traveling on the railway part of the UNESCO heritage .

The most beautiful beaches in the world? I’m where you don’t expect

When planning a beach holiday you always think of the magnificent Italian coasts , Greece , Spain and Portugal , or more exotic places like Bora Bora , the Philippines , Hawaii … you would never think of going to the beach in Germany or even in Lithuania ? It may seem absurd, but some of the most beautiful beaches in the world are right in these countries.

The island of Sylt is the northernmost of Germany , near the border with Denmark. Westerland Beach is a very popular destination, not only because it hosts the annual Windsurfing World Cup in September, but also because its landscapes and views of the North Sea leave you breathless. You can also admire the white cliff of Morsum or the Rotes Kliff with its reddish shades.

In Lithuania , on the other hand, the beach of Nida will leave you breathless , near the border with Russia and along the Curonian Spit , a long 61 mile long sand dune that separates the Baltic Sea from the Curonian Lagoon . A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the beach is home to some of the highest sand dunes in Europe: they are so fragile that walking on them is forbidden.

The beach of Achziv , on the Mediterranean coast north of the State of Israel , is a precious place from the historical point of view, but it is also an exceptional place for swimming. Surrounded by the Achziv National Park, where you can visit the remains of a Crusader castle and a biblical city, it is a perfect destination for those traveling with children. The beach is connected to two enormous lagoons: a true paradise for sea turtles, which lay eggs there during the summer months.

If you think of Iran come to mind desert landscapes and sunburn, instead it hosts some phenomenal beaches. Naz Islands Beach , for example, is one of the most beautiful places on the island of Qeshm , just off the southern coast of the country. At low tide you can walk to the nearby tidal islands of Naz, where you’ll see dolphins, turtles and other wildlife, as well as picturesque pebble beaches.

Unesco sites not to be missed: here are the most undervalued

There are as many as 1,092 UNESCO world heritage sites around the world . Wonderful places from a naturalistic or artistic point of view, which must be protected for their uniqueness. Some are very well known and much frequented by mass tourism: from the Taj Mahal in India , to Machu Picchu in Peru up to Leonardo’s Last Supper preserved in the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, just to give examples. But there are sites that are much less known because they are difficult to reach or little signposted in tourist guides and perhaps for this reason even more fascinating. We have selected five, scattered around the four corners of the globe, such as ideas for future, memorable holidays of discovery and beauty.

The Spanish site of the Dolmen of Antequera is one of the treasures of UNESCO perhaps even less known in the Old Continent. Listed as soon as 2016, it consists of a complex of evocative megalithic monuments located in the heart of Andalusia. Due to its grandeur and sense of mystery, it can compete with the super-popular Stonehenge.

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Leaving Europe, few will have heard of Bukhara, in Uzbekistan . Its historic center is a fantastic example of Muslim architecture of the tenth and eleventh centuries, a place of a thousand and one nights. The most famous visitor of the city? Marco Polo. The Italian merchant and explorer and his family ran a shop here for three years.

And in order to ideally travel the Silk Road to China, here is another spectacular site inscribed on UNESCO since 1999, much less known than the Great Wall . This is Mount Wuyi, in the southeastern province of Fujian , which brings together the mysticism of Neo-Confucian temples and monasteries with spectacular natural places like the Nove Bend river gorges.

Moving to the American continent, Peru is known throughout the world for the Aztec remains of Machu Picchu. But to the north-west, towards the suggestive landscape of the Cordillera Blanca, there are over 100 glacial lakes in the Huascarán National Park : an incredible habitat where the bear and the Andean condor live

Dulcis in fundo, a paradise surrounded by the waters of the Indian Ocean: the four islands that form the coral atoll of Aldabra , one of the largest in the world. Listed since 1982 on the UNESCO list, this Seychelles atoll is an unparalleled example of biodiversity that houses, among other things, a population of over 150,000 giant tortoises.

Traveling without photographing: a challenge for those seeking pure emotion

Photographing the places of our travels means taking home the beauty of a landscape, trying to relive an unforgettable moment together with those who shared a memorable experience with us: try to extend it, at least ideally, beyond the boundaries of time and space .

With the advent of digital photography , we no longer have the limits of the film that forced us to sip photos. Our smartphone is enough to unleash a “carpet” mapping of our holiday wanderings . From works of art to the dishes we enjoy at the restaurant, from selfies with the family to flea markets and hotel rooms: nothing escapes our goal, so much so that when we return from vacation we find ourselves having to view hundreds of images for groped to get a reasonable selection to keep … and maybe show friends without running the risk of boring them mortally.

Maybe we’re exaggerating. The desire to photograph often takes precedence over the pleasure that should simply arise in admiring a lush landscape, a medieval village perched on a mountain, a game between children in a distant city.

Perhaps for fear of losing the moment or, indeed, for the impelling desire to “share” our experience on social networks, we adopt a sort of conditioned reflex that makes us automatically extract the smartphone and take, shoot, shoot …

We should probably take a step back and try, at least once, to do an experiment: grant us a trip by forcing ourselves to leave our camera and smartphone in our holsters and trying to savor the experiences in the here and now. Not only through sight, but also with other senses. Indeed, traveling means coming into contact with aromas, flavors , sounds and tactile sensations . We often forget about it, conditioned as we are by our culture that grants the image a place of unchallenged supremacy.

But there are really creepy experiences that don’t pass the eyes: getting caught up in the aroma of spices in an Indian market, listening to the prayer of a muezzin, enjoying a freshly picked tropical fruit, walking barefoot on a beach. You call them emotions, one could say, that cannot be enclosed in an image and that should simply be lived: they will remain in our memory forever , more than a thousand photographs.

Jesolo Lido between fun and relaxation

Jesolo is not only famous for its sea but also for the attractions it offers, both in summer and in winter, both with the sun and with the rain. One thing I can tell you, in Jesolo you certainly will not be bored.

Visited by more than 1,300,000 tourists a year, this seaside city a few kilometers from Venice is appreciated by both Italians and European tourists, ranking it at the top among the Adriatic destinations.

The beach

The beach of Jesolo is a real jewel of the Adriatic, the sands that make it extend for a 13 km seafront and if you also consider the beach of nearby Cavallino up to Punta Sabbioni, the long tongue of sand arrives to extend for 25km where there is no shortage of wild beauty.

Stroll here in the summer you are excited for the sparkling beach life of the innumerable beaches while in the colder months, walking intimately hand in hand on the golden sand is an experience of pure romance, all this and more, makes the beach a MUST visit destination in Jesolo.

The longest pedestrian street in Europe.

On Jesolo Lido there is the pedestrian street plus the unga of Europe: via Bafile. Along the path that winds through the city’s squares, it is easy to be fascinated by the beauty of Italian fashion, both worn by passers-by and sold in stores.

Already from the first steps in the windows of shops, bars and pubs, the lights and the designs strike like the scents of food and the gusts of breeze from the taste of salt that come directly from the nearby beach.

Nightlife

Jesolo is also famous for its nightlife that attracts Italian tourists and not only in the night of fun. There are many famous nightclubs such as the Muretto which this year celebrates its 50 years of activity. Open until mid-September is a place where the best DJs and producers in the world make known the new trends to the public. In August the disco is open every night but I recommend Friday if you are looking for the highlight.

For an aperitif without wanting to go to the disco, in an open-air venue, I recommend the Capannina Beach where the atmosphere is made unique especially by the beachfront location and the music. Cocktails and aperitifs are also good. The visitors are aged under 35 although I have often seen families with children and old people dancing among the people.

Markets

On every first visit to a city, if I have the chance, I try to visit the markets I have always considered a cross-section of the life of its inhabitants. The Jesolo market is no exception and is held every Friday in Piazza Kennedy di Jesolo, about 7 kilometers from the beach.

At Lido di Jesolo, in summer there are plenty of opportunities for those who like to walk among the stalls, to name a few there is the evening agricultural market, the theme market “goodness & well-being” and many others. If you want to spend a wonderful winter evening with a Christmas flavor, I suggest you visit the Christmas Village in Piazza Mazzini in Jesolo Lido from December 2nd to January 7th.

Attracts

Jesolo in the last decade has been enriched with new attractions able to fulfill every possible desire.

Let’s start from Aqualandia: The number 1 water theme park in Italy with 8 different areas, slides, shows and adrenaline flowing in rivers with water slides. Guaranteed fun for both adults and children.

If you love aquariums, I recommend a visit to the Acquarium Sealife where especially the little ones will have fun getting to know the different fish species. From this year there is also the pool dedicated to the coral reef.

Are you looking to make 4 laughs with friends or an exciting challenge? I recommend the Adventure Minigolf that with its 4000 square meters well cared for, with its 24 holes.

Even the speed coats have an excuse to visit Jesolo: the Azzurra track, where you can rent a Kart, available from the 50cc engine to the powerful 270cc, the cost is around 12 to 25 euros for 8 minutes.

Foam instead is synonymous with happiness for the little ones, a soft park with lots of big games to jump and have fun.

Noventa: an itinerary between villas and nature

Noventa is a small town in the Veneto region that is only a few kilometers from Treviso and Venice, but it is not only because of the proximity to these two beautiful cities that I speak of it, but for the beauties it contains, fascinating villas and nature itineraries are just two of the many reasons to visit it.

What are the 5 most beautiful things to see, to explore and especially that I recommend visiting in Noventa?

Villa Lucatello

The villas here in Veneto appear as mirages almost everywhere. Villa Lucatello, in elegant composite style is a testimony. I stopped for a long time to observe it, imagining people dressed in clothes from other times that flocked to the villa for the dance, are the renaissance elements that characterize it to have made my dreams fly in times past.

How to get to the villa: indications from GoogleMap

The river park

The river park is located in an area where until the eleventh century there was a port founded by the Venetians, a place rich in history that intertwines with a fascinating nature. Stroll along the Piave near its mouth, where the waters of the river slow down is exciting in any season. I visited the park in the fall and the shades of the thousand leaves that changed color at that time had created a very impressive colorful carpet.

Villa Ca’Zorzi

It is interesting to know the story, it is beautiful to see. In this nineteenth-century villa lived the famous poet and essayist Giacomo Ca’Zorzi, known by his nickname Giacomo Noventa. The building is located right in the center of the city and from the large green space that surrounds it you can also admire its beautiful barchessa.

How to get to the villa: indications from GoogleMap

The Bridge of boats

Going along the provincial road to Fossalta di Piave you get to the Piave river where you have to pass over the characteristic bridge of boats to get over it. When I crossed it I was amazed that floating bridges like this could still exist.

Very beautiful the surrounding landscape and if you like photography, this is a spot that I recommend especially at sunset when the dim light accompanies the placid movement of the river.

Church of San Mauro Martire

This church is very beautiful and worthy of a visit, even if only for the valuable decorations of its interiors or for the unique hedge that surrounds it. It is located in the central square of Noventa and its bell tower in the area is second only to that of San Marco. It is visible already in the distance but it is when you are in front of it that you can fully enjoy its majesty.

Useful info:

Where to sleep

As I told you, Noventa as well as having a lot to offer is also a starting point for exploring the surrounding area. I found great offers for renting apartments on Noventa Apartments . Using one of these apartments as a base, I visited Venice, wandering through streets and canals and Treviso, with typical tastes and flavors, itineraries of a region that always amazes me for all it has to offer.

How to Learn Languages when Traveling

Language is a barrier for vacationers especially when English is not the means of communication. Surely, there will be a deluge of questions arising from their minds. There are some easy ways of learning languages when traveling. It is not possible to learn a language in a day or week, but it is easy to speak some common phrases related to shopping, business, and society. Use of a few phrases may be seen in tourist spots and it is possible to get to know them.

You may kick start learning languages while transit by the following ways. Confidence is only essential for undertaking them effectively.

Seek Online and App Tools

There are some language-learning apps and websites that really help practicing the local language when traveling. Some are freebies that enable learning with an online tutor or slides. You may use social media to get assistance from others to learn languages. With these kinds of technology tools, there is no need to go for classes or search tutors.

Read Linguist Books

Linguist books are like your friends to learn many languages with correct accent and syllables. When you start practicing, it is possible to learn at least some common phrases in usage. You may also read resources from ebooks or Kindle for your pocket use while transit.

Start Your Own Lessons for the Itinerary

Plan your lessons progressively for the days of the itinerary. For instance, you may learn greetings for day 1, location-based questions for day 2, responses for the questions for day 3, and so on.

Some common greetings are as follows: hi; good morning/noon/night; thank you; yes; no; please; sorry; how are you?

Some common location-based questions are as follows:

  1. How to get to this destination?
  2. How long does it take to reach?
  3. Where is the bus stop?
  4. How much it costs?
  5. Where is it (the item in a shop)?

Step into Places of Native Speakers

If you are into places where there is a majority of native speakers and visitors are greeted, learning the local language becomes easy. An example for this is Salento Steakhouse, a restaurant mostly visited for Spanish speakers. There chefs with bilingual skills converse with non-Spanish visitors in English. The ambience is perfect to listen to others speaking the native language. Understand the meaning of their sentences by grasping keywords instead of analyzing the whole.

Join Tourist Groups

Traveling in groups with a guide knowing the local language provides a great opportunity to learn foreign languages while traveling. There are many advantages of joining tourist groups. First, you get the proper direction from that guide for getting to destinations, stay, food, and all other queries related to tourism. Second, you will communicate with others for practicing the language. Third, you will get the best of information with a wide category of phrases or sentences in that language.

Ask Your Linguist Friend

Whether a linguist friend is traveling along with you or a new local friend, you can practice the language of the destination to a comfortable level. As more one-to-one interaction in that language is achieved, you can improve the linguistic skills by expanding the horizon.

Bari in the fall

Bari at the end of October, as well as Puglia can welcome you with an almost summer sun or with a storm in true autumn mood, of those that leave the sky cloudy for days and the pouring rain falls interrupted.

Bari was really gray for me; upon arrival in the city, to welcome me, there was strong wind, a great storm and a gloomy climate. But, fortunately, the city can offer travelers a series of views, stories and typical dishes that will make you forget the lack of sun and heat .A means to take a short ride, see the most characteristic corners, hear passionate tales and make some tastes is to climb on “BARI CITY TOUR” a characteristic train that leaves from the Port of Bari or from the San Nicola Pier . Just that of the fish market, the blue gozzi and the “Cringhito” temple of street food and Peroni beer.

# OLD BARI

A guide from the Department of Tourism of the Province of Bari has accompanied me to discover the treasures of Bari , the capital of Puglia from the Adriatic Sea and a city famous in the world for the relics of St. Nicholas preserved in the Basilica of the same name; legend has it that this important place of worship was built to conceal the Holy Grail.

The tour starts right from the Basilica dedicated to the Saint to continue in the narrow streets and characteristics of the old city in search of the Cathedral of San Sabino and Castello Svevo,  Largo Albicocca and the road where women produce handmade the famous orecchiette. On the outskirts of this alley  are the women who prepare the famous orecchiette on the spianatoiarmed only with water, semolina and knives, the houses are leaning against each other and at each corner there are churches, monuments and views to photograph. Here you breathe a steady atmosphere in time, in a place where everyone knows each other and the scents of the kitchens mix with the sea breeze. This is also the place where travelers can also stop to hear the stories of women and try to pack the orecchiette by hand. I assure you that it is really a super local experience that you will like very much.

Afterwards there was a short stop for a free tasting of some of the delicious products of Bari’s gastronomy ; including dried tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil and a very delicate and intense Apulian wine.

And my tour ended, always on board the train, after a brief stop near the famous Petruzzelli Theater, Piazza Mercantile, at the Column of Justice, a few steps from the port.

# IN THE KITCHEN

At this point I had only to find a place just for lunch and to taste one of the true local specialties; rice potatoes and mussels. 

As we all know, variety is one of the most distinctive traits of Apulian cuisine, in which seemingly different ingredients and flavors meet to create dishes with a unique taste. The famous “Tiella Barese”, also known as “rice, potatoes and mussels”, is the clear and tasty proof of this . It is a soup cooked in the oven in which tastes of land and sea meet: the ingredients are superimposed raw in a pan – in the vernacular “Tiella”, precisely – and are cooked with water added later to bake everything for a minimum of 45 minutes. All the inns in the city offer it. I recommend you ask the locals where you eat better and avoid the classic tourist traps in the dock area.

What to see in Venice of particular

If you visit Venice for the first time there are high-light that you can not absolutely miss, the enchantment of the lagoon, glimpses and buildings made famous and immortalized in the films of the films. For a classic stroll around the city, I refer you to an article in the Expedia Discover magazine , with some practical suggestions. For your second time in the city, however, I have some tips to rediscover it and relive it under new points of view.

Walking for miles I’m lost in the streets and canals discovering the authenticity of the Venetian step by step.

See the sunset in Venice from the Fondamenta delle Zattere

Located at the southern edge of the city of Venice, this foundation (sidewalk section that runs along a canal) is entirely exposed to the south and therefore very sunny. Especially in spring, but not only, it is here that the few Venetians still in the city are still walking.

The Fondamenta delle Zattere is quiet and livable, there are many bars and clubs in the area with tables outside, perfect spots to sit and wait for the sunset enjoying the view of the canal between the passing boats, perhaps sipping the famous aperitif cult of Venice: the Spritz.

On the other side of the homonymous canal is the Giudecca island, once full of vegetable gardens and gardens, today it is an enchanting place to visit, where few tourists venture, who knows why.

“Here it is easy to fall in love with Venice, when the warm lights of the sunset create unique and original atmospheres”.

Here’s how to get to the Fondamenta delle Zattere with Google Map .

A Venice to explore

More than a city, Venice will seem like a labyrinth. Easy to get lost in the narrow streets and canals but in doing so you will discover corners never mentioned in tourist guides, photogenic panoramas waiting to be seen and experienced.

Perhaps not everyone knows that Venice is the first and therefore the oldest ghetto in the world: in 2016 the Jewish Ghetto celebrated its 500th anniversary. Deviating through secondary alleyways, away from the tourist crowd and passing a portico that borders the entrance, you are suddenly immersed in the silence of Campo del Ghetto Nuovo where there is the red bench: the only pawnshop in Venice, last testimony of a world now lost.

“Wandering between the Ghetto and the Cannaregio district means immersing yourself in another Venice where you can hear the ticking of your steps echoing through the streets”.

Venice from above

Venice grants to be admired from various points of view: from bridges and canals, from sidewalks and boats, but if you want to be amazed, you have to aim high.

The beautiful Scala Contarini del Bovolo is certainly a masterpiece of architecture, for 5 Euro you will climb the spiral staircase, where you will open a beautiful view over the rooftops of Venice.

But the best view can be enjoyed from the bell tower of San Marco, where you can admire from around one hundred meters the Island of San Giorgio , the underlying Piazza San Marco and, if it will be a day without haze, the eye will manage to reach the mountains that in the distance frame the landscape.

Authentic Venice: the market

For a full immersion in city life, there is nothing better than a visit to the local market: the Rialto market . Quoted in many guides, it still manages to maintain its genuineness while preserving the true soul of Venice. Here the customers and the merchants seem to know each other and among the shouts of the sellers who encourage customers to purchase, the Venetian dialect will seem like another language. Adjacent to the fish market, there is the colorful fruit and vegetable market, where some of the products sold come directly from the nearby island of S. Erasmo : the vegetable garden of Venice.

What to see in Senigallia in a weekend

Visit Senigallia in winter

Senigallia is a city to be discovered slowly, especially in winter when its golden beach seems dormant while waiting for the summer energy.

A city to explore through the five senses

Taste: what to eat in Senigallia

The fish market of Senigallia is located directly on the harbor between the moored vessels where the fish is presented in wooden banquets from which it can be purchased at kilometer zero . Here we can perceive the well-rooted maritime tradition of Senigallia that moves directly from the market to the local cuisine.

The sea is like a vegetable garden and like the fruits of a tree the fish are also available seasonally

Choosing seasonal fish is to the benefit of the environment and its balance, always of quality is – moreover – cheaper. Gallinelle di mare, mullet, cicadas and snails are some of the protagonists in seasonal dishes that can be tasted in the restaurants of the city. Here in Senigallia, in addition to traditional recipes, chefs indulge themselves by creating imaginative dishes with unforgettable flavors.

Some examples? Cicala di mare or mullet sushi, rolls of chicken in bacon or the legendary and tasty snails, a slow appetizer , to be enjoyed with patience.

Vista: what to see in Senigallia

Step by step, this short itinerary will take you to visit some of the highlights that make Senigallia so special.

This is the link to view the itinerary on the phone-> Google map

A thousand words are worth less than a picture

Palazzetto Baviera is a fifteenth-century palace, overlooking Piazza Del Duca, built by the will of Giovanni Giacomo Baviera. The extraordinary nature of this place is undoubtedly represented by the beautiful stuccoes of Federico Brandani that adorn the vaults of five rooms of this building.

Senigallia is considered a city of photography. “The deceived Reality ” is a wonderful exhibition by Ferruccio Ferroni, Mario Giacomelli and Aristide Salvalai, where every shot excites the visitor, projecting him on a journey between present and past, between shadows and reflections. This exhibition is located in Palazzo del Duca

This city is also famous for the Summer Jamboree : the biggest European music festival dedicated to the forties and fifties. Every year the whole city returns to that period between period clothes, concerts and dances. If you want to take a dip in those years, I recommend visiting the Graffiti Store (Via Corfù 3) of Angelo: the artistic director of the Jamboree.